EAST LANSING - Andrew Maxwell was disappointed by Michigan State's one-point loss to Ohio State, but the junior quarterback firmly believes that the Spartan passing game took a significant step forward in the Big Ten opener.

"We're still fighting, making improvements each and every week," said Maxwell. "I thought last week as an offense, even though we didn't win, me personally, I felt the best about where we were as an offense from an attitude standpoint, from an energy standpoint, from an intensity standpoint. I felt like we played from the first snap to the last with that tenacity that we try to come out and play every week with."

Despite the demotion of junior receiver Bennie Fowler, who struggled with dropped passes in five starts, Maxwell came away from the loss in the Big Ten opener with renewed confidence in his receiving corps as a whole.